Descriptionary

anamorphosis a method of distorted painting or drawing in which the subject is unrecognizable unless viewed from a particular angle or distance. Also refers to a subject that appears to transform into a different subject when viewed from various angles.

anthemion a traditional flower and leaf motif fea­turing palm leaf and/or honeysuckle.

applique a style of decoration characterized by the application of materials over other materials to form a design.

aquarelle a painting composed of transparent watercolors.

arabesque an ornate motif featuring intertwined floral, foliate, and geometric figures.

art nouveau originating in the 1880s, an art form characterized by cursive, flowing lines, interlaced pat­terns, and whiplash curves.

art rupestre French term for prehistoric cave art.

assemblage a three-dimensional art form character­ized by the integration of various objects into a mean­ingful or decorative whole.

asymmetry the use of nonsymmetry in art to more accurately depict reality, as in a portrait of the human face.

a trois crayons a three-colored chalk drawing. aureole the radiance surrounding a depiction of a holy or religious figure. Also known as a glory.

automatism spontaneous painting or creation with­out conscious thought or plan.

avant-garde of any art, experimental, original, non- traditional, new, or untried.

bas-relief low relief. Any sculpture or carving that is raised only slightly (such as coins) from its background.

biomorphic form any nongeometric form, such as that of a plant or animal.

bird's-eye view a painting of a scene as it might be viewed from overhead.

bisque firing the first firing of a ceramic.

bleed the migration of some oil paints into adjoin­ing areas on a canvas.

blending in a painting, the imperceptible fusing or merging of two hues.

blister in a painting, a damaged area character­ized by a raised spot, caused by moisture or foreign matter.

bloom on a varnished oil painting, an undesirable cloudy or misty surface effect, caused by moisture.

blush a bloom, but on clear lacquer.

bottega an Italian art studio or shop where a master painter and assistants work.

brown coat in a fresco, the second coat of plaster, made of sand and lime putty or marble dust and lime putty.

buckeye a poor quality, mass market landscape painting.

cabinet picture a small painting, usually 30 inches wide or less.

cachet a distinctive mark, monogram, or cipher used to authenticate an art work in lieu of a signature.

calendering the process of giving paper a smooth finish by running it under heavy pressure between rollers.

calligraphy artistic, stylized, or elegant handwriting.

en camaieu painting in several shades of the same color.

caricature a drawing of a person that exaggerates the physical characteristics of that person.

ceramics art objects made of clay that have been fired in a kiln.

chalking disintegration of surface paint that turns to powder and eventually falls off.

chasing in sculpture, the ornamenting of a metal surface with indentations.

checking a series of square cracks on a painting.

chiaroscuro Italian for "light-dark," designating an art technique employing the use of several different shades of the same color, or a high contrast between light and dark elements to create depth, most often seen in baroque art. Also, any painting using this style.

chromatic colors all colors other than white, black, or gray.

chromaticity the properties of color.

chrysography lettering in gold or silver ink, a prac­tice originating with the ancient Greeks.

cinquefoil decoration in the form of five joined leaves or lobes.

cissing an uneven coat of paint that streaks.

classical any ancient Greek or Roman art form. Also, any historic period that produced exceptional art works in a particular style.

classicism the adherence to or borrowing from ancient Greek and Roman styles in art works.

cleavage the separating of paint layers on a paint­ing, due to poor materials or improper application.

collage a composition of paper, fabric, or other materials glued on a panel or canvas.

colorist an artist particularly masterful with the use of color.

commercial artist an artist who works in advertis­ing, publishing, industry, design, and related fields.

concours in art school, a student exhibition of selected works at the end of a semester.

cool colors blues, green, violets; the opposite of warm colors.

crackle a network of cracks in a damaged painting. crawl see cissing.

cribbled decorative dots or punctures on wood or metal surfaces.